Manufacture of lamp stems



Oct. 23, 1934. H. B.'KNOX MANUFACTURE OF LAMP STEMS Filed Mar h'ZZ, .1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 y MW mmMmia WW \wsll v ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 23, 1934.

H. B. KNOX MANUFACTURE OF LAMP STEMS Filed March 22, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 23, 1934. H. B. KNOX 1,977,638

MANUFACTURE OF LAMP STEMS Filed March 22, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet s Ivy 6.

INVENTOR: H'vmca 8. Km:

ATTORNEYS! Oct. 23, 1934. H. B. KNOX 1,977,638

MANUFACTURE OF LAMP STEMS INVENTOR: Huang; '8 KW BY WWXms l +Gu4w| ATTORNEYS.

Patented t. 23,] 1934 PATENT orslca MANUFACTURE or LAMP STEMS Horace 13. Knox, Bellevllle, N. 1., assignor to Alfred Hofmann & Company, West New York, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 22,

14 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of lamp stems; and involves a novel method and apparatus for the quantity manufacture of the so-called stem component ofincandescent electric lamps of various classes, whether for illumination, radio or other purposes, being in the nature of bulbs or tubes containing electrodes or fllaments and either exhausted of air or filled with a special gas. Such lamp stems are adapted particularly for the manufacture of tipless incandescent lamps, the bulbs of which are to be fused to the stems, and the air subsequently exhausted or replaced by a special gas. Lamp stems of the class referred to are already known as a commercial product, being illustrated for example by the expired patent of Jaeger No. 729,182 of May 26, 1903, the present improvement pertaining to the method and apparatus for making the same. The general object of the present .invention is to afford a method and apparatus for combining or fusing togetherthe essential preformed parts into the unitary completed lamp stem, ready to be fusedto the lamp bulb, such parts including the so-called glass flare, which may be of usual form, the small glass tube or exhaust pipe for exhausting air or introducing gas, usually two or more lead wires passing through and sealed in the completed stem, and in some cases an upstanding post or cane to assist in anchoring or support Other objects and advantages will be explained in the hereinafter following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention or will be understood to those skilled in the subject. To the attainment of such objects and advantages the inventionconsists in the novel method and apparatus for manufacturing lamp stems, and the novel features of operation, combination and construction, herein illustrated or described.

In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 to 6 are successive diagrams in elevation illustrating certain of the main stages or method steps in the carrying out of the present invention. Fig. 5a shows a method modification of the steps of Figs. 3-5.

Fig. I is what may be considered a front elevation of an apparatus or machine for automatically performing'certain of the steps of the method.

Cal

1932, Serial No. 800,403

Fig. 8 is a right elevation of the machine parts shown in Fig. 7. I

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 10 is a partial front elevation showing certain parts and relations not fully seen in Fig. 7. 00

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a right elevation showing diagrammatically a suitable cam means for causing certain timed operations.

In using terms of direction or-pos'ture, as vertical, horizontal, downward, upward, etc., they are intended in a relative sense only, for conven-. ience of description, as the mechanism might be positioned or operated in various ways.

Referring first to the diagrams, Fig. 1 shows the inverted flare A which may be a preformed glass flare of usual-shape held in a chuck 18 with its flared end A at the top. Above the inverted, flare is shown the small tube or exhaust pipe B of 76 proper size and preferably cut. to exact length. This is held in axial relation to the flare by a chuck 19 adapted to hold the pipe but in a manner to permit longitudinal shifting and resisted tilting of the pipe. Passing through the interiorof the hollow flare are the lead wires C one or more in number and spaced from each other, assembled and held in position by a holder indicated at 20. Assembled in relation to these parts is the glass post or cane D extending partly within the lower end of the flare and between the two lead wires C, being held by ,a chuck 21; These various components may be initially assembled manually or otherwise, in their chucks or holders, preferably at a stage or position preceding the operations 00 particularly herein described.

According with the method as disclosed by the diagrams, upper and lower gas jets 22 and 23 are shown in Fig. 1 as applying flames to opposite sides of the lower end of the pipe B. Following this heat-softening of the lower end if the pipe a bending tool 24 advances relatively from one side, for example from the left, operating to deflect the pipe at its lower end to form an angular bend B, as shown in Fig. 2, following which the tool retracts. The bending device might be stationary and efiect its function by the advancing travel of the pipe or chuck from station to station, which is here disclaimed, but.is covered in copending application of Trutner, SerialNo. 690,297, filed September 21, 1983.

As seen in Fig. 3 a downfeeding member .or pusher 25 next comes into action to advance the pipe]; relatively downward to enter the hollow inte m of the flare A, with. which it isalined, no

although the flare might be raised to the same effect. The flare being held firmly in its chuck the pipe is caused to be slightly deflected, tilted or sprung leftward, by the contact of its bent end B against the wall of the flare, so that in the position attained in Fig. 3 the pipe stands under resilient pressure against the side wall of the flare. The flared top end A of the flare facilitates and guides the entrance of the pipe into it.

The actions thus described upon Figs. 1, 2 and 3 may be performed in one or more locations or stations of the machine. Prior to these operations the pipe B after insertion in its chuck may be accurately positioned vertically by the descent of a pusher 16, or by gravity, the pipe being thus brought into contact with a stop '17. This action is shown in Fig. 1 but may be performed at an earlier stage or station, and the stop may be withdrawn when its function is done or it may be fixed and the pipe shifted away from it by its advance travel. a

The following described actions are preferably performed at a later station or stations. In the stage shown in Fig. 4 gas jets 26 have been applied to the lower end of the flare tosoften and collapse it, thus partially closing the walls of the flare upon the lead wires C and post D, while the softening of the flare adjacent to the lower end of the exhaust pipe permits the latter to spring back or wall of the flare, as seen at 1B in Fig: 5,-while the entire lower end of the flare and the upper end of the post D become softened. This figure indicates also the applying ofsealing or closing pressure at the opposite sides of the lower end of the flare, for example by mechanical squeezers 2'1, 27. This squeezing pressure completely flattens and closes the flare at A, fusing the post D to it and sealing the lead wires C in the closed end of the flare.

Finally at Fig. 6 is shown the substantial completion of the stem by the application of a gas jet 28 at the point B, to soften the glass which now closes the lower end of the exhaust pipe, this step being accompanied by the application of air pressure by a coupling 29 to the upper end of the exhaust pipe, such air pressure blowing its way through and producing a perforation at B which,

when the lamp is completed will afford communication from the interior of the lamp to the ex haust tube for exhausting or gas filling purposes.

In completing an incandescent lamp it will be understood that the filament or electrode is to be mounted upon the lamp stem, following which the stem will be inserted in the lamp bulb, and then its flare or skirt A fused to the neck of the bulb in a well known manner, following which the air can be-exhausted through the pipe 3- or the bulb filled with a special gas, and the lamp thereupon sealed by fusing and closing the exhaust pipe at a point within or adjacent to the end of the flare. The fused and compressed portion A of the flare'constitutes an air-tight seal through which extend the leading-in wires, which may be of dumet or other metal known forthis purpose, the inner ends of the wires being suitably connected to the filament or electrodes in the completion of the lamp stein before" connection to the lamp bulb.

It is manifest that certain changes of sequence and step canbe followed. For example the heat Figs. 4 and 5 might precede the insertion of the bent pipe end into the flare and its fusing thereto, in which case the beatings for sealing, fusing and perforating might be either separate or continuous. This variation is illustrated by Fig. 5a wherein the flare has been closed and sealed and the bent pipe thereafter inserted in contact with the flare wall above the seal, preparatory to the reheating of the flare wall for the fusing together of the pipe and flare and the blowing of a perforation.

The machine shown in Figs. 7 to 11 may be of the revoluble turret type, and in Figs. '1 and 9 is shown a peripheral portion of a turret or table 32 mounted on a suitable shaft, not shown, upstanding from the bed of the machine. The rotary table is shown as having a hollow enlargement 33 projecting at the periphery, there being a series of these, each constituting the base for supporting certain elements intended to be advanced step by step or from station to station through the successive stages or steps of the complete process. The table 32 may contain for example seven or more or less of the hollow bases 33, so that each of them, and the devices and components carried thereby may be advanced progressively from station to station through that number of stages. No claim is made to this manner of advancing the lamp stemcomponents during their treatment, since the same is well known, and illustrated for example in the expired patents of Howell et a1. 843,750 of Feb. 12,

190': and 860,977 of 'July 23, 1907 and Swan 1,011,523 of Dec. 12, 1911. The devices supported upon each base 38. of the rotary table will be termed a head, or stem head, cooperating to hold the lamp stem components as assembled and until completion. These heads, including their carriages, chucks etc., may be connected to be rotated for certain operations, other than those of Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6, as in said patents;

but with the present invention this is not essential and the heads may simply travel from station to station with the advance or revolution of the table; and as will be described means are herein employed to hold each head in a certain set position on the table during the described operations.

By the illustrated mechanism the steps or treatments indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are effected, namely the heating of the exhaust pipe,

the bending of its lower end at an angleto its longitudinal length and the lowering of the bent pipe into the flare preparatory to the subsequent heating of the flare and the fusing together of The assembling of the I these and other parts.

several components A, B, C and D of the lamp stem is effected preferably at a previous stage" or station, and may be either manual or' automatic; and the longitudinal adjustment of the pipe B to the position shown in Fig. 1, for example by the pusher 16 therein indicated, may be either at an earlier station or at the same station with the heating and bending of the pipe. At a station or stations beyond the one indicated in Figs- 7 to 11 the flare may be heatsoftened as indicated in Fig. 4 and fused to thebent end of the pipe as indicated in Fig; 5 and squeezed at its lower end to seal the lead wires and flx the post asindicated in Fig. 5, and thereafter heated to form .the perforation B and subjected to air pressure for that purpose, as indicated in Fig. 8. I 1

Referring next to the details of mechanism softening and squeezing to seal the flareas in shown in Figs. '7 to 11, each base 3301 the re- 153 volving turret carries the chucks or holders 18,- 19, 20 and 21 for the flare A, the pipe B, the lead wires C and the post D, and preferably also the squeezers or compressing devices 27 by which the flare is to be subsequently squeezed and fiattened in a certain relation to the position of the pipe and its perforation B The gas jets 22 and 23, the pipe bending means 24 and the pusher or downward adjusting member 25 are preferably permanently adjuncts of the station, and are therefore mounted on a fixed frame part rather than on the revolving table, for example, the bending device taking its support from a fixed bracket 120 to be described.

Preferably each set of chucks or holding devices and adjuncts constituting one of the series of stem heads is arranged and mounted a carriage 39 on' the revoluble table. To permit rotation of the carriage there is shown above the circular base 33 at the table periphery a boss 34, with a shouldered vertical shaft 35 taking its bearings in the boss 34 and in the base 33, which base may be in the nature of a hollow cylinder or box so as to accommodate a wheel 36 mounted on the shaft 35 and adapted to be driven when desired to rotate the shaft and carried head. To hold the wheel, shaft and carriage against rota! tion during the operations. of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the wheel has an underneath stud 37 near its periphery running between the sides of a fixed track 38 concentric with the table 32. The shouldered shaft 35 may be hollow to receive an interior rod 49 to be described.

The carriage 39 may consist of the following parts 40 to 45. Mounted at the top end of the shaft 35 is shown a hollow hub 40 from which extend lateral arms 41 constituting the lower crosspiece of the carriage or frame of the stem head. The hub 40 may have at one side a rigidly extending finger piece 43 cooperating with movable finger pieces 67 and 68 to be described. Extending upwardly from the crosspiece 41 are spaced apart hollow columns 44 connected by an upper crosspiece 45, which also is centrally hollow to accommodate the post or cane D and its chuck 21, which chuck may consist of a perforated block with spring or other means by which it is frictionally engaged by the post. It will be convenient at this point to describe the mountings and actuation of the squeezers or compressing members 27. These are preferably mounted on the revoluble table and in fact on the traveling stem head, rather than on a fixed frame part at the same or a later station, so as to ensure that the squeezing will take place along a direction of action parallel to the vertical plane in which the pipe bend B lies, thus facilitating the operations indicated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. The upper crosspiece 45 of the rotatable carriage is shown as provided with outstanding ears 46 to which the squeezers 27 are pivoted, the arrangement being such that when swung upwardly the squeezers approach symmetrically toward the lower end of the flare A and the upper end of the post D, as seen in Figs. 5 and 8. Extending downwardly from spaced apart points on the respective squeezers 27 are opposite links 47, these being pivoted at their lower ends to a sliding head 48 located at the top end of a vertical actuating rod 49 which extends downwardly through and slides in the hollow hub 40 and the hollow shaft 35, projecting therebelow and extending to a suitable means or cam for manually or automatically lifting the rod and thereby operating the squeezers in proper coordination with the other opera- The chuck jaws 53 may be slidably mounted in a diamond shape body 54 which for convenience may be mounted on sleeves 55 and 30 to be described, above the columns 44, with set screws 56 holding the chuck body at the correct elevation upon the sleeves. The flare chuck jaws may be actuated by means of a disk cam 57 rotatable in a circular recess in the body 54, the cam disk having eccentric slots 58 each engaging a cam pin 59 upstanding from one of the jaws 53. By this arrangement counterclockwise rotation of the cam 57 causes the jaws to approach, engage with and hold the flare in its correct central position,

this being preferably spring operated.

For opening and closing the flare chuck its cam 57 is shown connected by a link 61 to a rock arm 62 mounted at thettop end of a vertical rock shaft 63 extending downwardly through the chuck body 54 and through the sleeve 55 within one of the hollow carriage columns 44. At its lower end, below the carriage, the rock shaft has a laterally extending rock arm 64 connected by a link 65 with a similar rock arm 66 at the other side of the carriage, the latter rock arm having an operating lever 67 which may be operated to open the chuck. As the chuck operation may be desired to be manually performed the leveror finger piece 67 is adapted to cooperate with the relatively fixed finger piece 43 as best seen in Figs. 7 and 9. Pressing the finger pieces together opens the jaws 53. For closing them there is shown a pin 68 outstanding from the rock arm 64, pulled by a spring 69 extending to a pin or extension of the hub 40. I

Referring next to the holder 20 for the lead wires C, the purpose of this is to hold the two wires, above the flare, in a laterally deflected po sition to'keep them out of the way of the steps being performed. As best seen in Figs. 10 and 11 the holder consists of a swingable plate 70 hav-' ing two notches 71 for engaging the respective wires and having a hub 72 mounted for convenience at the top end of the shaft or rod 63. The holder or rocking plate 70 is shown withdrawn in Fig. 11, but-swung inwardly to its operative position in Fig. 9, where thewires C are seen to be confined to the desired position. The plate 70 is formed with a deep recess 73 arranged to clear the central parts during operation. The shifting of the holder from operative to retracted position and vice versa may be performed manually, but preferably it rocks with the rod 63, so

that when the chuck is closed the holder is positioned. I

The chuck or holder 21 for the post D, mounted centrally in the carriage 4045, is shown in Fig. 11 as formed with opposite holes or passages 74 to receive and position the lower ends of the lead wires C in correct relation to the flare A through which they pass. 7

Referring next to the chuck 19 for holding centrally .the exhaust pipe B, this may comprise a body 75 held rigidly in its elevated position. The body 75 is shown extended towardthe center as apart. The body may have a resilient ball and notch'positioning device 78 for holding -it either in its operative position shown or in a swung away position. Opposite to the space between the fixed jaws is shown a spring pressed jaw 79 pivoted at 80 between the fixed jaws, so that the pipe 13 is contacted at one side by upper and lower jaws 76 and 77 and at the opposite side by a middle jaw 79, the arrangement permitting the pipe to he slid vertically through the closed jaws, or to be tilted slightly while heldby the jaws, for the purposes described. An extension 81 of the jaw 79 beyond its pivot is provided with an upstanding pin- 82 pressed upon by a spring 83 which ailords the necessary force to maintain the jaw closed yieldingly against the pipe.

For ready manual operation of the pipe chuck jaws, to open them for the positioning of a new pipe or the removing of a complete stem, the movable extension 81 of the jaw '79 is shown connected by link 84 with a rock arm 85 attached to the top endof a rock shaft 86, the rocking of this shaft efiecting the jaw opening movements against the resistance of the spring 83.

The complete pipe chuck mechanism 19 may be fixedly mounted in its elevated position by having its body 75 surrounding a fixed sleeve and resting upon a collar 91 fixed to the sleeve. The chuck may be swingable from and to position, as stated, and correctly positioned, for example by a stop pin 92 projecting at one side of the collar 91 engaging with a stop pin 93 depending from the chuck body. The rock shaft 86 carrying the rock arm 85, which overlies the chuck body '75, extends downwardly through the fixed sleeve or hollow rod 90. The sleeve is shown as extendin into and fixed within one of the carriage columns 44, while the shaft 86 extends on downwardly through the sleeve and column, emerging at the lower end, where it is provided with a hub 94 from which projects a finger piece 95 that may be swung in one direction to open the pipe chuck and release it for the closing thereof, in cooperation with the relatively fixed finger piece 43.

When finger piece 95 is pressedtoward 43 the rocking actions first swing open the chuck jaw 79 and when fully opened the continued movement swings the entire chuck rearwardly away from position, for example, to admit the flare if fed into the head from above, the return movement of the finger piece restoring the chuck toaxial position.

Having now described the several parts of the lamp stem head adapted to travel from station to station with the revolution .of the table 32 the fixed position devices will next be described which cooperate in the action illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

' The uppera'ndlower gas jets or nozzles 22-and 23 for heat-softening the-lower end of. exhaust pipe B may be mounted and supplied as follows. Lateral gas pipes supply the two nozzles, an arched pipe 101 extending from one to the other.

The arched pipe is extended downwardly as a pipe 102 which may be supplied in-any desired rying a follower operated by a cam 123.

gree of compression, and such air may be delivered into the pipe 102 through an injector nozzle or induced fiow device 107, so that the opening of the air valve 105 increases the supply both of air and of gas, delivering them in suitable proportions and at suitably high force to maintain the necessary fiame for heat-softening the lower end of the exhaust pipe as indicated in Fig. 1.

The air control valve 105 is shown as havinga handle 110, and this may be automatically operated for example by the following mechanism. A valve rod 111 is shown as extending through a slot in the handle 110, with an upper stop 112 above and a lower stop 113 below the handle,

these stops being spaced apart to allow lost motion for purposes to be explained. The connecting rod 111 may extend upwardly at an incline and have its upper end pivoted at the outer extremity of along pin or stud 114 outstanding from a collar 115 secured adjustably upon a vertical operating member or rod 116. As seen in Fig. '1 the air supply is turned on, whereas by lifting the operating rod 116 this will operate through the connecting rod 111 to swing up the handle to the dotted position and cut off the air supply as described. I

Preferably the operating rod 116 is an actuator made use of to control and time three separate operations at the illustrated station, namely the operating rod is shown as mounted in a vertical.

slideway 118 extending upwardly from a circular .fixed frame-part or base 119 arranged laterally adjacent tothe operating position at this.sta-- tion, and mountedon a fixed bracket 120 as seen in Fig. 9. At its lower end the operating rod projects below the frame part or bracket, and it is there shown connected by a link 121 with a lever 122 swung upwardly andjdownwardly through a suitable cam or other mechanism to bring about the described mechanical actions. For example the lever 122 may be a'bell era as in Fig. 12, with its depending short arm car- The follower is on the part 0 of the cam corresponding 'with the adjustment of Figs. 7 and 8, wherein the heating jets are being applied to the pipe B.

Subsequent y the cam part w will cause the elevating of the operating rod 118 to actuate the bender 24 and close the valve 105 as described. Following this the cam lowers the rod and retracts the bender, the rod continuing to descend until, at cam part :c, it has thrust the bentpipe into the flare as in Fig. 3, the fiames being again turnedon at this time by the upper contact stop 112 depressing the valve handle 110 in preparation for the next heating operation. Therebeyond at the cam part 1 the rod is restored to its first or normal position and about at this point the table resumes revolution, bringing a new head to position for example at the point z, the i new pipe being subjected to heating thereafter around to the starting point 0.

The means by which the vertically sliding actuator 116 operates the pusher 25 to effect the lowering of the exhaust pipe B in the manner indicated in Fig.3 may be as-follows. Mounted upon the actuator is shown an arm 124 extending inwardly above the axis of the stem head and there carrying a screw 125, accurately vertically adjustable in the arm, the screwv at its lower end 7 by overlying strips 138.

carrying or constituting the pusher 25. When adjusted the screw is held in position by a lock nut 126. The radial arm 124 may be vertically adjusted on the operating red by loosening and tightening its clamping screw 128.

The exhaust pipe bending device 24 and accompanying mechanism may be as follows. The bender is shown as a horizontal bar 24 having a bevelled front end operating as in Fig. 2. The outer end of the bender bar is carried at the top end of, a vertical bar or shank 130, the lower end of which is turned horizontally as a slotted foot 131 adjustably secured by screws 132 at the top side of an operating slide bar 133. See Figs. 7, 8 and 9. The slide bar 133 is shown as arranged substantially radially to the stem head in a slideway 134 supported in position by an offset 135 of a fixed bracket 136 rising from the fixed slideway 118. The slide bar 133 runs in a groove in its slideway 134 and is held clovm At its rear or outer end the slide bar is shown as carrying an upstanding block 139 from which laterally extends an offset 140, on which is pivoted a link 141, extending inwardly and the free end of which is pivoted to the top end of a lever arm 142, fulcrumed at 143 to the bracket 135. The lever 142 has also an outstanding arm 144 to which a spring 145 is connected, the spring pulling downward ly and thereby tending always to swing the lever 142 to retract the slide bar 133 and the bender. This retracting movement is shown as limited by a stop screw 146 adjustable in an ear 147 depending from the slideway 134. The lever arm 144 is shown as provided with an outstanding pivot 149 for the lower end of a link 150. This link is formed with an elongated slot 151 engaged by a stud 152 formed on the collar 115 fixed on the actuator rod 116. By this arrangement a lifting motion of the actuator and stud will cause the.

lifting of the link and swinging of the bell crank lever 144-142 and thereby the advance of the bender, these parts again retracting with the descent of the rod, while further descent of the rod causes idle play of the stud 152 in the slot 151.

The sequence of actions shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 may readily be efiected in various ways, as by a cam shaped as in Fig. 12 to lift and lower the lever 122 and operating rod 116 in proper time. The heating, the bending and the pushing down may be timed in various ways and to various extents in relation to the advancing travel and the pauses of the stem head. The lost motion of the valve rod 111 and that of the bending device link 150 allow the actuator to operate these parts in proper timing with the down thrusting operation, the ,valve handle having enough friction to hold it in either set position, and the bender having a retracting spring.

Following the described operations, corresponding to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the partly made lamp stem is advanced to a new station, at which the operation illustrated by Fig. 4 may be performed. Automatically the jets 26 may be operated to apply heat-softening flames to the lower part of the flare and the top of the post. During this step the stemming head may be maintained in constant rotation, or it may remain relatively stationary during the softening of the glass. At this stage the slightly tilted pipe B rights itself and resuming its axial position, its bent lower end indenting the softened wall of the flare and assisting in the fusing together of the pipe and the flare. The means for turning on and off the as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. These are operated so that their line of approach is inthe same vertical plane with the bent pipe B. This insures that the flattening of the lower end of the flare in the sealing process will be at right angles to the plane in which the bent pipe stands, so as to leave clear a part of the side wall of the flare for the lateral perforation leading to the pipe. The squeezers 2'7 are brought together by the raising of the rod 49, and this may be eifected manually or by simple cam means equivalent to that shown in Fig. 12 operating after sufficient time has been allowed for the thorough heating and softening of the glass components. The rotation of the stemming head may be continued 1 through the squeezing operation because of the fact that the squeezers are mounted on the rotary carriage and in correct relation to the bendingof the pipe. When a non-rotary head is used the squeezers need not be mounted thereon but may have fixed locations.

The final step shown in Fig. 6 of heating the flare wall opposite the end of the exhaust pipe is preferably performed while the stemming head is stationary or held against rotation, although in some cases it might be done during rotation. In either case the jet 28 may throw a spot flame upon the point to be perforated, while the coupling 29 may couple with the top end of the exhaust pipe to introduce compressed air therein. This perforating operation is preferably performed at a subsequent station to the one in which the squeezing is effected; and following this final operation and preferably at a later station, the several chucks and holders may be released and the completed lamp stem removed.

There have thus been described a method and an apparatus for the manufacture of lamp stems embodying the principles and attaining the objects of the present invention. Since many mat- 1 1. Apparatus for manufacturing lamp stems comprising a chuck for receiving and holding a flare, means for heat-softening and bending the end of an exhaust pipe at an angle to its length, a chuck for holding such exhaust pipe in substantially axial alinement with the flare in the flare chuck, shifting mechanism for subsequ intly effecting relative longitudinal approaching movement between the flare and the pipe thereby to cause the bent end of the pipe to enter the flare in contact with the side wall of the flare, preparatory to heat softening of the flare wall for fusing the wall to the bent pipe end, and an. operating shaft with timed connections to the bending means and shifting mechanism to operate them in coordination. I I I 2. Apparatus for manufacturing lamp stems comprising a chuck for receiving and holding a flare, a chuck for receiving and holding an exhaust pipe substantially axially with the flare in the flare chuck, a device for bending the previously heat softened end of the pipe in the pipe chuck at an angle to its length, shifting means for thereafter effecting relative. longitudinal approaching movement between the flare and the comprising a chuck for receiving and holding a pipe thereby to cause the bent'end of the pipe to enter the flare, preparatory to heat softening of the flare wall for fusing the wall to the bent pipe end,'and an operating member or shaft with timed connections actuating in coordination with .the bending device and the shifting means.

3. Apparatus for manufacturing lamp stems comprising a chuck for receiving and holding a flare, a chuck for receiving-and holding an exhaust pipe substantially axially with the flare in the flare chuck, a jet for heat softening the pipe end, a device for bending the heat softened end of the pipe in the pipe chuck at an angle to its length, means for relatively longitudinally shifting the pipe to cause the bent end of the pipe to enter and contact the wall of the flare, preand a connection to the bending device and a connection to the shifting means, one or more of said connections including alost motion connection. U

5. Apparatus for manufacturing lamp stems comprising a chuck for receiving and holding a,

flare, a chuck for receiving and holding an exhaust pipe substantially axially with the flare in the flare chuck, means for holding a post and lead wires in relation to the flare and pipe, a jet for heat softening the pipe end, a device for bending the heat-softened end of the pipe in the pipe chuck at' an angle to its length, means for relatively longitudinally shifting the pipe to cause the bent end of the pipe to enter and contact the wall of the flare, preparatory to heat softening of the flare for closing the flare sealing the lead wires and fusing the flare to the post and the bent pipe 'end, and a single operating part with timed connections forrapplying and removing the heating jet, for actuating the bending device and for actuating the shifting means in coordination.

6. Apparatus for manufacturing lamp stems flare, a chuck for receiving and holding anexhaust pipe in substantially axial alinement with the flare in the flare chuck, in a manner to permit longitudinal shifting of the pipe, and tilting thereof in the chuck under resilient resistance, a

device for bending the heat softened end of the pipe in the pipe chuck at an angle to its length,

and means for relatively longitudinally shifting the pipe to cause the bent end of the pipe to enter and contact with resilient pressm'eagainst the wall of the flare, preparatory to heat softeningoftheflarewallfor fusing thewalltothe bentpipeend.

7. Apparatus for manufacturing lamp stems comprising a carriage rotatable about a vertical axis, a chuck on said carriage for receiving and holding a flare upright, a chuck on said carriage for receiving and .holding an exhaust pipe in substantially axial alinement above the flare, a device at one side ofthe carriage. arranged to. advance and bend the heat softened end of the pipe in the pipe chuck at an angle to its length, while the carriage is stationary, means above the carriage for thereafter relatively lowering the pipetocausethebentendofthepipetoenter. and contact against the wall ofthe flare,preparatory to heat softening of the flare wall for fusing the wall to the bent pipe end, opposite squeezers adapted tobe operated thereafter to approach and squeeze and seal the flare lower end below the point of fusing of the pipe end to i the flare wall; and an operating member or shaft with timed connections to the bending device, the lowering means and the squeezers to operate them in coordination.

8. Apparatus as in claim 'I and wherein the squeezers are arranged to produce a flattened seal standing at right angles to the plane of the bent pipe.

9. Apparatus for manufacturing lamp stems comprising a chuck for receiving and holding a flare upright, a chuck forreceiving and holding an exhaust pipe in substantially axial alinement above the flare, while permitting the pipe to be tilted under resilient resistance in the chuck and to be slid downwardly. therein, a device arranged to advance and bend the heat softened end of the pipe in the pipe chuck at an angle to its length, overhead means for relatively lowering the pipe in the chuck to cause the bent end of the pipe to enter and contact with resilient pressure against thewall of the flarewhile the pipe tilts in the chuck, preparatory to heat softening of theflarewallforfusingthewalltothebent pipe end, and opposite squeeaers adapted to be operated to approach and squeeze the flared lower and below the pointof fusing of the pipe end to the flare wall.

10. In apparatus of the kind described a pipe chuck comprising abodye swingable to position and retractible, a jaw relatively fixed on the body, a spring-closed movable jaw, and a lever with connections to open the movable-jaw and retract and return the body.

11. In apparatus of the kind described a pipe heating jet, a bending device, a valve controlling the heating jet, a valve rod having spaced stops,

and timed means for operating the rod to open the valve before bending and closing it after 12. In apparatus of the kind described a pipe chuck, anda pipe bending device comprising a beveled bar, a slide carrying the bar, a lever for sliding the slide, a slotted link for the 125' lever, timed means cooperating with the link to move the slide in one direction-and a spring pull-, ing it in the opposite direction.

13. Apparatus for manufacturing lamp stems comprising acarriage. achuckfliereonforastem 1- -tube orflare, a chuck thereon foranexhaust pipe,

a device for bending the end of the pipe in the chuck, means for thereafter thrusting the pipe into the flarewith its bent end in resilient pressure against one side of the flare. mechanism for thereafter squeezing the end ofthe flare acting inadinectiontoproduceaflattenedsealatright atan'anglebeforethepipeiscausedtoenterthe 15,

flare, so that when entered the bent pipe end will contact against the interior side wall of the flare,

a. heat softening means to heat the exterior of the flare wall opposite to the contact point where the pipe end bears against such wall, means to blow through the pipe to produce a perforation in 

